Tag Archives: The Full Moo

Fear trickled down my spine. How close were they? I needed to run. I needed to get inside. I turned my head to see how far to the house it really was. It was a long way. Could I run it fast enough? Could I out pace the danger?

I decided to take the chance. I jumped to my feet and in the same breath, bolted for the house and the back door I had come out. I ran like I was being chased and for all I knew I was. I ran so hard my chest hurt. I pumped my arms as I ran. I ran so fast I hardly felt the cool grass on my bare feet. I hurled up the stairs and in the same motion threw open the door and fell inside. I slammed the big door closed and bolted it.

I dropped flat on my back on the floor and gasped for breath. My heart beating like it was trying to get out of my chest. I settled a hand on my chest and tried to slow my breathing and my heart.

I was almost back to normal when the overhead light winked on and blinded me.

“What the hell is going on? Abigail? What are you doing down here?”

My father, of course, towered over me. It had to be him, of all people. My eyes slowly adjusted to the light and I squinted up at him. I didn’t get a chance to answer as his eyes were focused on my feet. My mud and grass covered feet. Oh crap, I was in trouble. My slowing heart picked up speed again.

“You were not just outside, right?” he said. It was not a question. It was a statement said with deadly calm. He already knew the answer. He just needed to say it out loud.

Since I was happy to have made it back inside alive, I wasn’t all that afraid. Well maybe a little, because who wouldn’t be? He was a big man, with a bit of an animal temper. I answered him, “Yes.”

He bent over me, grabbed my shoulders and hauled me up to my feet in a single motion. He didn’t let go of me though, oh no, instead he pulled me up off the floor where my feet were no longer touching and up to his face, where he asked with that same calm, that was completely contradictory to his actions at the time, “Why were you out side, Abigail?”

I swear I about peed myself. I half wanted to run back outside. At least the danger out there would have probably killed me quickly. “I…I wanted to run in the forest. I couldn’t sleep. I thought the run would wear me out.”

It was the truth, the whole truth and yet, I doubted he believed me. There was something in his eyes that told me he didn’t.

With extreme gentleness he set me back down on my feet. He turned away from me and said, “Go to bed. I don’t want to look at your right now.”

“I’m not lying to you,” I said.

“We will discuss it in the morning,” was his only reply.

“Fine, don’t believe me,” I said. I held my head up and proudly left the room. Yes, maybe going out in the middle of the night hadn’t been all that smart, but it wasn’t for any bad reason. I wasn’t sneaking to meet anyone.

I snorted at that thought. Heck, if I wanted a guy right then, all I had to do was crook my little finger in their direction and I figured they would come running to me. I didn’t have to do any running, not with the way I smelled. That thought made me crinkle my nose. Smell, such a simple thing, but it grossed me out. I wanted to smell good in a conventional way, not a hormonal way.

I didn’t really want a guy anyway. Did I? Derek’s face flashed in my mind. No, no. I didn’t want him. He was a controlling ass and heck he didn’t even believe in love. I didn’t want him. Even telling myself that, I knew I was lying. Maybe what I should remind myself was that I didn’t want to want him.

I flopped back into my bed, dirty feet and all. I didn’t care. I’d get the sheets changed in the morning. Part of the reason I didn’t want Derek was that my parents wanted me too. It was a stupid reason, but that was a big one. I was the keeper of my own destiny. Plus he doesn’t believe in love. No, he was not suitable. Just no.

Stupid Derek and his stupid gorgeous face were my last thoughts before I finally allowed sleep to claim me.

Author Courtney Rene

Courtney Rene lives in the State of Ohio with her husband and two children. She is a graduate and member of the Institute of Children’s Literature. Her writings include magazine articles, short fiction stories, several anthologies, as well as her young adult novels, A Howl in the Night, and new release, The Full Moon Rises, as well as the Shadow Dancer series (Shadow Dancer, Shadow Warrior, Shadow’s End, and a break away novel, Shadow Fire), published through Rogue Phoenix Press. For a complete listing, visit www.ctnyrene.blogspot com or feel free to contact her at ctnyrene@aol.com.